Boston Shopping

Black Ink

Black Ink started out by selling only rubber stamps and papers. But it has since expanded into an eclectic "design laboratory," with floor-to-ceiling shelves full of industrial products, Japanese trinkets, card and board games from your childhood, finger puppets, coffee mugs, origami kits, brainteasers, and other imaginative stuff you never knew you needed.—Jon Marcus

With its cobbled-brick sidewalk and gas-gone-electric street lamps, you can almost imagine Paul Revere strolling down Charles Street. Adding to the historic ambiance are a plethora of antiques shops. The name says it all at Danish Country European & Asian Antiques: You'll find Royal Copenhagen china, 18th- and 19th-century Scandinavian hutches, and antique Chinese furniture (no. 138; 617-227-1804; europeanstyleantiques.com). At Twentieth Century Limited, hunt for treasures in the $10 costume-jewelry bins or splurge on vintage earrings, tiaras, or cuff links (1,250 pairs!) in the packed display cases (no. 73; 617-742-1031; www.boston-vintagejewelry.com). Eugene Galleries Inc stocks worn leather-bound reference books, ancient postcards, and dated maps (no. 76; 617-227-3062). Of course, with the old comes the new, and Charles Street has seen its fair share of modern boutiques. Wish (no. 49; 617-227-4441), Moxie (no. 51; 617-557-9991; www.moxieboston.com), and the East Coast outpost of Holiday (no. 53; 617-973-9730; www.holidayboutique.net) all vie for the affluent trendsetters who aren't afraid to drop a couple hundred dollars on a Tory Burch tunic. You'll also find cutting-edge objets, from Tord Boontje paper lamp shades at Koo de Kir (65 Chestnut St.; 617-723-8111; www.koodekir.com) to John Derian's découpaged dishware at Good (no. 88; 617-722-9200; www.shopatgood.com).

The Closet is one of several Newbury Street shops leading the recent fashion for vintage and consignment clothing. The finds may include vintage Dior bags, contemporary Chloé clothing, and jewelry reminiscent of your grandmother's heirlooms—the sort of stuff that was purchased in the much more expensive Newbury boutiques, worn once to a charity ball, and passed along to the very picky buyers here.—Jon Marcus

Opened by childhood friends in their 20s who quit jobs in PR and finance to indulge their fashion obsessions, Crush sells women's clothing, accessories, shoes, and handbags selected with its founders' youthful tastes and passions in mind. Designers represented include up-and-comers such as Charlie Jade, Chelsea Flower, and Daughters of the Revolution as well as established style-setters like Alice + Olivia, J Brand, and House of Harlow. How girlie is this place? Britney Spears shops here.—Jon Marcus

The standout on a street of antique shops, Danish Country European & Asian Antiques carries a curious combination of Royal Copenhagen china, 18th- and 19th-century Scandinavian hutches, and the antique Chinese lacquered furniture you may have admired in your hotel's lobby. (It might also look familiar from the cover of House Beautiful.) The shop is tiny but holds a surprisingly large collection to check out and maybe even ship home.—Jon Marcus

Eugene Galleries is the perfect place to pick up some authentic souvenirs you can afford. It's obsessively organized (in alphabetical order, of all things), so you're bound to find a subject of interest—old maps, etchings, prints, newspapers, magazine advertisements, photographs, lithographs, leather-bound books, postcards, watercolors—for yourself or a loved one who didn't get to travel to Boston with you.—Jon Marcus

The name of this shop is an understatement. Good models itself after an art gallery, changing its look and inventory every few months. But you'll always find retro and antique home goods, furniture, ceramics, glassware, and an extraordinary collection of one-of-a-kind gifts, like hand-hammered gold earrings or cuff links made of old subway tokens and typewriter keys. It's all about modern and minimalist design in everyday life—and now that Good has begun commissioning artists to make items exclusively for the shop, the offerings are more unique than ever.—Jon Marcus

Modeled after the interior of an antique dollhouse, Holiday is a decidedly feminine playground for trendsetting women who don't mind dropping a couple of hundred dollars on a Tory Burch tunic or taking a chance on an up-and-coming fashion house. It also has its own brand, called "Pretty Little Thing," of handmade dresses, skirts, tops, and cashmere, and a vintage corner. Like the decor, the service is deliberately old-fashioned, but the selection includes decidedly modern looks from designers such as AKA, Eryn Brinie, JBrand, Kirribilla, T-Bags, and Twenty8Twelve.—Jon Marcus

An unexpectedly successful blend of casual California style and New England sophistication, Hudson is a tiny home-decor shop that sells both vintage and contemporary pieces in a laid-back space; you'll often find the owner's golden retriever hanging out there. She—the owner, not the dog—designs the throw pillows you'll see stacked on the Verellen sofas; there's also the latest from California designers Oly, bedding by Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic, and smaller knickknacks that make great gifts.—Jon Marcus

The shopping street to end all shopping streets, Newbury's eight-block span (approximately one mile) is home to some 73 clothing boutiques, 40 art galleries, 30 day spas, and 30 restaurants. Some names are familiar, from Valentino and Cartier to H&M and American Eagle, though others are native to Beantown. Tess & Carlos (no. 141A; 617-262-8377; www.tessandcarlos.com), Dress (no. 221; 617-424-7125; www.dressboston.com), and Matsu (no. 259; 617-266-9707; www.matsuboston.com) all carry big-ticket items by high-profile designers; and Trident Booksellers & Cafe is a nice antidote to the big-box sellers (no. 338; 617-267-8688; www.tridentbookscafe.com).

South End

What Newbury is to fashion, and Charles is to antiques, the South End is to home decor. This perennially up-and-coming neighborhood still has some rough edges, but they are being smoothed out more and more each day as the historic brick-lined blocks welcome high-end boutiques and restaurants—and residents to frequent them. The main action takes place on three streets that run parallel to each other: Tremont, Shawmut, and Washington. Stop at Lekker if you are in the mood for some Dutch porcelain (1317 Washington St.; 617-542-6464; www.lekkerhome.com; closed Mondays). Around the corner from Lekker, the diminutive Hudson sources its fine and vintage home accents a little closer to home—expect to see the latest from Oly and Shabby Chic by Rachel Ashwell in addition to throw pillows designed by the store's owner, Jill Goldberg (312 Shawmut Ave.; 617-292-0900; www.hudsonboston.com; closed Mondays). Fuel up at South End Formaggio, which stocks an immaculate selection of wines, cheeses, charcuterie, and gourmet sandwiches (268 Shawmut Ave.; 617-350-6996; www.southendformaggio.com) before heading to Turtle, Storey Hieronymus Hauck's outlet for showing off her favorite under-the-radar fashion designers from near—Boston's own Cheng Lin—and far—Elm of Iceland (619a Tremont St.; 617-266-2610; www.turtleboston.com; closed Mondays). If you happen to be in town on the first Friday of the month, head a little west of the beaten path to SOWA Artists Guild, where over 50 emerging artists open their cubby hole-sized studios to give the public an unobtrusive glimpse into their hearts and souls (450 Harrison Ave.; 978-337-4191; www.sowaartists.com).

Artists, famers, vendors, and designers—and the shoppers who love them—swarm to the SoWa Open Market Sundays from the spring to early fall. (There's a winter indoor market from mid-November until the end of April.) It's the city's best outdoor market, where you'll find handmade jewelry and crafts, original artwork, indie designer clothing, just-picked produce, fresh-baked breads and pies, a hip and fun crowd, and food trucks lined up to fuel your hunt for something special.—Jon Marcus

This subterranean store is surprisingly roomy and unintimidating, with the designer goods laid out on big wooden tables and roll-away racks. Compared to other Newbury Street stores with aisles so narrow it's impossible to pass, there's lots of space to browse the selection of women's fare from Ben Mori, Groceries, and Reece Hudson or men's clothes from Ape, Billy Kirk, and Unknown Soldier.—Jon Marcus

Turtle specializes in women's fashion designers from the U.S. and abroad who are just coming out of their shells—get it?—such as Elm of Iceland, Aimee G, or the home-grown Cheng Lin. The selection is extensive, and includes small gifts such as jewelry and soaps. While Turtle can be pricey, there are frequent sales with deep discounts, and you definitely won't look like you shopped at the mall.—Jon Marcus

Twentieth Century Limited's display cases are filled with vintage, estate, and costume jewelry, cultured pearls, sterling silver, antique cuff links, and even tiaras from the '40s and '50s, each of which suggests the story of a long-ago owner. But what we really like are the Bakelite, Art Deco, antique clocks, hats, and handbags. There are other antiques in this crowded space, too, including paintings, prints, and photographs, most of them unique potential gifts that are surprisingly affordable.—Jon Marcus